Since China adopted reform and open policies, its
scientific and technological sector has implemented the same
policy accordingly. There have been increasing cooperation
and exchanges with foreign countries in this sector. Now
China established cooperative relations with 150 countries
and regions and signed governmental science and technology
cooperation or economic and technological cooperation
agreements with nearly 100 countries and regions. The
non-governmental cooperation and exchanges are even more
active. The Chinese Science Association and its subsidiaries
have joined 244 international organizations, 293 Chinese
scientists have taken the position of councilors in the
international scientific and technological organizations at
different periods, and 281 have taken the leadership
positions in such organizations. For example, 253 scientists
from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have taken positions in
such organizations. The National Natural Science Fund has
signed cooperative agreements and memorandums with 36
counterparts from other countries. In 1998, there were
22,000 scientific and technological cooperation and exchange
projects between China and foreign countries on a government
or non-government basis, with I 07,000 personnel exchanges,
20.6 times and 12.4 times that of 1978. In the past five
years, China has introduced over 400,000 foreign experts and
sent nearly 200,000 personnel abroad for study. The
international cooperation and exchanges have promoted export
of China’s technology and its products. In 1998, China
signed 2,500 technical export contracts, valued at US$ 6.69
billion, 5.4 times and 5.2 times those of 1991 respectively.
As for imports, China has signed 5,984 technical import
contracts in 1997, totaling US$ 15.92 billion, 16.7 times
and 4.6 times those of 1991 respectively. China’s
foreign cooperation and exchange have played an important
role in raising China’s science and technology level
as well as promoted the national economic growth.
|